


Role of the Oldest

by SimpleLoon



Series: SimpleLoon's Gladio Week Fics [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blood and Injury, Friendship, Gen, Gladio Week 2020, Hurt, Hurt Gladiolus Amicitia, Little comfort, Loss, Off-screen nameless character death, Sad Ending, Time Skips, World of Ruin (Final Fantasy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28009158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimpleLoon/pseuds/SimpleLoon
Summary: The first time Nate and his friends met Gladio, he saved them from silly peril. The second time, Gladio saved them again but from a greater threat in a more dangerous world. A lot can change in five years.Written for Gladio Week Day 6Prompts used: Managing an injury | "Out here in the darkness, one wrong move is the difference between life and death."
Series: SimpleLoon's Gladio Week Fics [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047463
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6
Collections: Gladio Week





	Role of the Oldest

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I know it's technically Day 5 of Gladio Week, but I still need some more time to edit that fic, so I'm posting my Day 6 fic instead! Hopefully, Day 5 will be ready tomorrow *fingers crossed*  
>   
> Anyway, I decided to try something new and write a fanfic prominently featuring some of my OCs. It was a fun experiment to insert them into the FFXV world. Hope you enjoy!

Despite the brewing danger, Nate laughed.

He clutched Riley’s hand tight as they raced down the street market, weaving through other people to catch up with their friends. Felix carried the lead, though he constantly checked back, eyes urging them to pick up the pace. Lola stumbled in second, holding her hat as she ran. Nate could have outrun both of them, but as oldest, he couldn’t leave behind little Riley.

Finally, he and Riley caught up at a corner of the market. Felix and Lola were there waiting for them, the former glaring and the latter gasping.

“Can’t you go any faster?” Felix complained, crossing his arms. “You’re gonna get us caught!”

“Relax.” Nate ruffled Felix’s hair, earning a scowl from the other. “We’ve had to lost Jace by now.”

“We can’t get comfortable!” Felix stomped his foot. “Jace is tricky! And now he’s mad!”

Riley gave a toothy grin. “And who’s fault is that?”

Felix squinted his eyes, and Nate laughed again.

“She’s not wrong, Felix,” Lola said, fanning herself as she adjusted her hat. “I told you swapping his shampoo was a bad idea.”

Before anyone could respond, a voice screamed: **_“FELIX!”_**

Felix turned pale. “Drat! He’s coming! GO!”

Along with his friends, Nate turned on heel around the corner, desperate to flee… only to face collision.

“OOF!” Nate hit something firm and ricocheted to the ground.

“Hey, you all right, kid?” a gruff voice asked.

Nate looked up to see who he had bumped in to: It was a very tall, muscular man, with a scar down his eye and tattoos across his arms and shoulders. Nate gaped; he had never seen someone so cool-looking before.

The muscular man offered Nate a hand, gently helping him stand up. “You look okay. Anything hurt?”

Nate could have answered correctly, but so in awe, all he could say was, “Wow, you’re like a giant!”

“Nate!”

He snapped out of his wonder to turn to his friends, who were in front of three other adults.

Felix flailed his arms. “We gotta go now! Or else Jace is gonna catch up, and I won’t live to see age nine!”

“Huh? You kids in trouble?” The muscular man asked.

“Felix swapped his brother’s shampoo for bright orange hair dye,” Riley explained.

Two of the other adults, a man with black hair and a man with chocobo-like hair, burst out laughing. The third, wearing glasses, shook his head.

 ** _“FELIX!”_** Jace sounded a lot closer.

Nate grimaced. “Uh-oh!”

“Here!” The muscular man pointed to an empty market stall. “Behind here!”

He guided Nate and his friends to the safety of the stall. The four friends kneeled behind it, Nate holding on tight to everyone.

 ** _“FELIX!”_** Heavy panting and fast footsteps rushed past them. They held their breath as the footsteps dissipated.

“Hey, it’s all clear, kids! You can come out!”

The four made their way back to rejoin the adults. The black-haired man and chocobo-haired man clutched their stomachs as they laughed. The glasses man rubbed his temple. And the muscular man smiled so bright.

Nate couldn’t help but smile back. “Thanks, Mister! If not for you, Felix would have been toast!”

“Happy to protect those in need,” the muscular man said, crouching to come closer to their level. “But you should try to be kinder to your siblings. They do a lot for you.”

“Yeah, whatever!” Felix started to run back the path they came in. “Jace might come back! Let’s GO!”

Lola groaned, going after Felix. “Why do we have to run…?”

Regrasping Riley’s hand, Nate gave a thumbs up to the muscular man and then ran after his friends.

What an adventure!

~

_5 years later_

~

Nate screwed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth. The horrible roars of the Iron Giant mixed with the pained cries of the hunters were frightening. How he desperately wanted to cover his ears, any attempt to block out the horrendous sounds. But as oldest, he had a job to do. He wrapped his arms tightly around his friends, Lola and Felix at his sides and Riley in front, hugging his chest.

Another dying scream, and Riley let out a timid cry.

“Riley, shhhhh!” Felix whispered, frantic.

“Felix!” Lola whispered back, a little reprimanding. “She’s scared!”

“We’re all scared!”

“Both of you quiet! Or it will definitely hear…” Nate trailed off.

Riley squeezed tighter.

More roaring, more screaming, more dying.

It should have never turned out like this. They should have been safe; it was a routine visit to the outpost, and they were in strong company. But on their way back, the car had broken down, leaving them vulnerable. The hunters had brought them to the safety of the cave as they took on the Giant, but now…

“It’s so cold,” Lola muttered, leaning into Nate.

“I wanna see my brother,” Felix breathed, face pressing into Nate’s shoulder.

Nate clenched tighter, praying for a miracle.

Then, the sounds of a sword clashing.

The anguished roar of the Iron Giant.

Silence.

And finally, heavy footsteps approached.

The four remained still as the footsteps grew closer. Until a light flicked on. Nate flinched at the sudden brightness but blinked rapidly to adjust. He made out the silhouette of a man around the light, and Nate flicked on his own light to better see.

His eyes widened.

The man had a new scar running across his forehead, but Nate could still remember that massive, muscular frame and those tattoos. And now, he knew better about the man, exactly who he was. They all did.

“Holy shit,” Felix blurted out. “The Shield of the Chosen King.”

“Gladiolus Amicitia,” Lola said, a bit shocked.

“The one and only. You can call me Gladio, though.” He looked at each of them, serious. “You kids all right?”

“Physically, yeah,” Nate said. (He could feel the trembles of his friends and his own rapid pulse.)

“Good because it’s not safe here.” Gladio gestured behind him. “I have a jeep out back, but we’ll have to move fast to get there. Daemons could reappear at any time.”

“Right.” Nate took a deep breath, released his arms around Lola and Felix, and tapped Riley’s arm. “You heard the Shield. It’s time to go. Ready?”

Lola was first to stand, gripping her spear. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Next was Felix, standing carefully. “I got my bow.”

Finally, Riley released her embraced, rubbed her eye, and jumped up. “Yup, my dagger’s right here.”

Nate reached behind him to pick up his katana and stood up himself. He faced Gladio and gave one firm nod. “We’re ready.”

Gladio grunted in acknowledgment. “Stay close to me. Remember: out here in the darkness, one wrong move is the difference between life and death.”

They walked to the mouth of the cave with slow, steady steps. The scent of blood permeated.

“Follow me and try not to look down. On the count of three, we run,” Gladio stated.

“One…”

With one hand, Nate gripped the handle of his katana.

“Two…”

With his other hand, he took Riley’s hand.

“Three!”

Nate stared into Gladio’s back as they took off, determined not to view the wreckage. The group stayed close, Gladio checking behind often and slowing down if he went too far. They ran through the desolate land, accompanied by the sounds of their labored breaths and pounding feet.

“Just up ahead!” Gladio called. “Keep going, kids!”

Nate nearly broke into a smile, feeling relieved.

“Whoa!” Riley stumbled and bumped into him, knocking him off his balance and sending them both to the ground. “Ah! Sorry, Nate!”

“It’s fine!” Nate said, scrambling back to his feet. “Come on, we gotta go!” He assisted getting Riley back up.

And that’s when he heard the chatter.

Nate’s light shined through the darkness, flashing onto a hooded creature scattering forward. The knife in its hand glinted.

Nate’s blood turned cold.

The Tonberry leapt up. Nate pushed Riley behind, bracing himself. But before the Tonberry could strike, Gladio raced in front of Nate, summoning up a shield. The Tonberry slashed at the shield, and with a grunt, Gladio flung the Tonberry off. The shield disappeared with blue sparks, and Gladio turned and grabbed Nate and Riley by their arms.

“To the jeep, NOW!”

They sprinted, Felix and Lola already waiting for them at the jeep. Unfortunately, the Tonberry wasn’t done with them yet.

“GAH!” Gladio screamed, dropping his knees.

Nate felt a splash of liquid and looked to see that the Tonberry had sliced the back of Gladio’s upper arm, blood spurting. Heart pumping, Nate thrust his katana through the eye of the Tonberry. It screamed in agony.

Another flash of blue sparks brought Gladio’s sword forward, and he slashed the Tonberry, hurling it back. Just as it had arrived, the sword disappeared, and before Nate could ask about his arm, Gladio grabbed them again and sprinted to the jeep.

The jeep unlocked and the group jumped in, Lola taking the passenger’s seat while Nate stayed with Riley and Felix in the back. Lightning speed, Gladio turned on the engine, flicked on the lights, and sped off, tires screeching. The engine screamed as they rode away, matching the bang of Nate’s beating heart. He leaned back into his seat, breathing out and taking comfort from the heat of Felix and Riley beside him.

It was Riley who spoke first: “Gladio? Ummm, your arm…”

With another flash of blue, a bottle appeared in Gladio’s hands, which he smashed against his arm. “I’ve dealt with worse. I’ll be fine.”

A few beats of silence.

“I’m…” Gladio swallowed. “When I got the distress signal, I tried to get there as soon as I could. But I…” He trailed off.

Riley leaned against Nate. Felix kept staring out the window.

“They were trying to keep us safe,” Lola muttered, pulling a strand of her hair. “And you continued what they no longer could. Thank you.”

Gladio sighed. “Let’s get you back to Lestallum.”

They finished the rest of the trip in silence.

~

After they arrived back in Lestallum, Jace greeted them with firm embraces and grateful words for Gladio. He insisted on cleaning up his arm (though the bleeding had stopped, the potion hadn’t fully closed the wound) and wouldn’t take no for an answer, despite Gladio’s protests.

So there they were, back at their house. Lola, Felix, and Riley rested in the living room, while Jace took care of Gladio in the extra bedroom. Nate stayed outside beside the door, waiting and picking up pieces of their soft whispers.

“..few more days… ely healed…”

“…ciate it.”

“No, thank… I couldn’t… parents… all I have…”

“…”

The whispers stopped, footsteps sounded, and Jace exited the room. Upon noticing Nate, he gave a tight smile and squeezed his shoulder. “Have to go back to the hospital now. Can I count on you to look after everyone?”

Nate nodded. “Always.”

“Call me if there’s an emergency.” Giving one quick hug, Jace left Nate alone in the hall.

Taking a deep breath, Nate entered the room. Gladio was sitting on the bed, his arm now properly bandaged. He sat while staring down, his shoulders sagged forward. He looked… so tired.

Nate cleared his throat, gaining Gladio’s attention. “Hey kid.”

Nate gave a small smile, pulling up a chair to sit next to the bed. “You know, I’m 14 years old. I’m not a kid anymore.”

Gladio gave a single chuckle. “Then what should I call you?”

“Nate, that’s my name.”

“All right then, well met, Nate.” Gladio leaned back a little. “You know, I didn't yet thank you for your help back there, with the Tonberry. Your quick thinking was a lifesaver.”

“Ah! You're welcome," Nate answered, cheeks feeling a bit hot. "Nothing compared to you, though."

Gladio’s mouth twitched. “I’m glad I could rescue you and your friends, and get you back safely, but…” He closed his eyes. “Wish I could have done more.”

“You did your best… to protect those in need.”

Gladio leaned forward, resting his forehead on his fists with his elbows propped on his knees. Nate glanced between Gladio and his toes.

“So the four of you.” Gladio broke the silence, his head still down. “You’ve been friends for a while?”

“For as long as I can remember,” Nate said. “They’re my best friends.”

“That’s, that’s nice.” Gladio raised his head, giving Nate a soft look. “I was impressed by how you looked after them back there, especially that short one.”

“Oh! Really?” Nate perked up, feeling the heat rush up to his face again. “Um, thanks! Just doing my job.”

“Your job?”

“Yup! As oldest, I gotta take care of them.”

Something flickered in Gladio’s eyes, though Nate couldn’t pick out what. “That’s very strong of you.”

“Hehe, yeah, well.” Nate scratched the side of his head, glancing back down. “Just doing what I can for my friends. These times… are really difficult.”

“Don’t I know it.” Gladio stood up, reaching to grab his pack.

Nate jumped up. “Whoa! Are you leaving?”

Gladio slung the pack over his good shoulder. “Got work to do that ain’t gonna complete itself.”

“But what about your arm?”

“Like I said, I’ve dealt with worse.” Gladio made his way to the door.

“But wait!” Nate rushed in front, blocking his path. “Come on! Let us help you! Jace wouldn’t mind if you stayed!”

Gladio placed a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I can get by on my own.” Gently, he pushed Nate aside and went through the door.

“But what about your friends?” Nate blurted out.

Gladio froze.

Nate continued. “You were traveling with two others, plus the King. I know the King is missing, but your other friends, I’ve heard, they’re around. Why are you alone?”

Gladio shifted but kept his back to Nate.

“Especially now, isn’t that what friends are supposed to do? Stick together?”

A heavy sigh came from Gladio. “Nate,” he said, voice sounding thick. “You got good spirit. I hope you never lose it.” And Gladio left without another word, steps echoing until he left the hall.

Nate stood still for a moment, processing. Then, he ran to the living room. Lola, Felix, and Riley looked up from the couch, eyes glazed.

“Nate?”

Nate outstretched his arms. “Come here.”

They wasted no time in returning his embrace. Nate clutched like he would never let go.

~

Gladio slammed the door shut, resting his head against the steering wheel. His arm still throbbed, but it wasn’t inhibiting. He would survive. He had so far.

He put the keys in the ignition and started the jeep, lights flashing bright. He checked his rear view mirror but was reminded of those youthful eyes that sat in the back seat not too long ago.

_“Right. You heard the Shield. It’s time to go. Everyone ready?”_

Gladio leaned back and reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone. Unlocking it, he went to the contact list, scrolling until he reached the name he was looking for.

_“As oldest, I gotta take care of them.”_

His thumb hovered above the call button.

_“Just doing what I can for my friends.”_

His hand trembled.

The way Nate spoke, it seemed so obvious. It was his job _and_ the right thing to do.

_“Especially now, isn’t that what friends are supposed to do? Stick together?”_

But like his wings across his body, the failures were deeply branded across his mind.

Gladio threw the phone against the backseat and set off.


End file.
